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PAGE 1G _________________________DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1968__________________________
SEVENTH SECTION
SPEAK SOFTLY, but drive a powerful 1967 will be the record books £ 3 wins in NASCAR racing. This broke , I
race car. This is the creed of NASCAR’s long, long time a record of 54 career wins set by
Grand National champion Richard Pet Richard’s father, Lee Petty,
ty, and for the soft spoken native FOR EXAMPLE: Richard’s 27 wins The 30 year old veteran of eight
of Randleman, N. C., it is a perfect in 47 starts last year would be considered years in NASCAR racing also set new
description. more of a long shot than a Tennessee records in the money winning depart
Richard is not only the first to admit ment for last year’s effort. He increased
but will insist, that his record breaking walking horse winning the Kentucky his all time money earnings to over
year in 1967 was the result of teamwork Derby. Tim Flock set the old record half million dollars. Petty broke Freddie
in 1955 when he won 18 races during
and not due solely to his ability to the season. Lorenzen’s one year earnings record
“push the button” and turn left. of $113,000 by collecting $130,275 in
One thing is certain, the records These 27 wins also gave Richard 1967.
established by the Petty team during record breaking total of 75 career Richard proved his honesty when
he said, “I’m proud I was able to
have such a successful year in ’67. But
■ the only thing I’m looking forward to
now is breaking the money record
again. After all, that’s what this game
is all about.”
PERHAPS the most amazing thing
of all about Richard’s most amazing
year is the fact that he won 10 con
secutive races without a loss. But here
again he is first to admit that motor
racing is a team effort. “I guess
it boils down to having the right com
bination of car, pit crew and mechan
ics, driver and just plain luck.”
He credits his ability in the button
pushing and left turning business for
about 25 percent of his success. Car
r
and crew receive 50 percent and another
50 percent Richard credits to what
he calls “racing luck.”
Addition quickly shows that the Petty
* " a
formula adds up to 125 percent, but
Richard has an explanation for this
which makes a lot of sense. “In racing
you can be performing 100 percent
and still get knocked out by a fluke.
A car can spin in front of you, a
piece'of debris fly through the radiator
F
or you simply can hit an oil slick
and boom . . . you’re out of business.”
He finished explaining his formula
A *- WINNING PETTY TEAM
with, “everyone in racing puts out .. . from the left Lee Petty, Maurice Petty and Richard Petty
100 percent. But when it comes to Chrysler Corp. Photo
I
the luck part ... I figure it takes
a little bit more, and I had it in fastest running Plymouth in racing. every time the hood is raised. The Grand National driver’s ranks in 1959,
1967.” They are proud of the appearance mechanics religiously wipe away fin he was known as a win or watch
••• ••• of the “Petty Blue” Plymouth, and gerprints after they finish working driver. He was an all out charger
they take pride in preparing it for on the car. who jumped into the lead at the drop
a race.
THE PETTY racing team is a family When asked about this, poppa Lee of the green flag and ran until he
affair. Richard’s dad, Lee, a three Richard explained the philosophy. explained. “It’s the tedious work that either won or the car broke.
time NASCAR Grand National champion “When we pull out of the driveway counts, doing the little things that don’t Now his attitude and driving style
in his own right, manages the team at Randleman and head for a race show.” have changed. “At first I just wanted
and brother Maurice serves as chief track, we’re ready to run. We make “The guy who remembers to use to lead, now I want to win,” he says.
wrench twister. r. ? P0*nt to get to the track the a fender cover everytime, is the guy “I want to be one-half mile faster than
But there is an invisible member tnst day it opens for practice,” he who will know all the nuts and bolts the next fastest car. That’s enough to
boy POWERED of the Petty crew that accounts for S31CL are tight. The guy who wipes win and that’s what I’m interested
exhaust pipe of a iot an av^ drag racing fan, peeks out of the much of the team’s success, pride. “By getting there early I can take fingerprints off the radiator cap. is
last week hi DeLaS Camaro which r*n at the NASCAR drag races To a man the Petty team is proud the car around enough times to get the guy who will check to be sure
-________d’ Contestants from throughout the nation participated. of its nroduct ... the most consistent, the feel of the track and tell the it’s on tight,” Petty said. C”-— J National drivers have
mechanics how the car is workins Going into a race, luck is the only had to watch as the Petty crew rewrote
-Weto_e time to make whatever changes thing the P
an 0 > / < m<re pages in c e Plymouth
u
hi
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the record
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